Interview: Katie Welborn Hagan Discusses CVSC’s Election Strategy
We recently sat down with Katie Welborn Hagan, CVSC’s SVP of Political Strategy, to discuss how CVSC has been involved in the upcoming election, what voters can do to help support conservation, and what comes next after the results are in.
Q: Hi Katie! Elections are less than a week away. As the lead on CVSC’s political efforts, how are you feeling?
A: I am feeling so proud of our team over here at CVSC and thankful for the conservation candidates we are supporting for their leadership and willingness to serve our state. I’m also feeling tired ????. This election cycle, we have knocked on over 105,000 doors, made over 136,000 voter phone calls, sent 350,000 texts, sent mail to over 1,093,000 mailboxes, and ran digital and radio ads around the state. I am excited to see what this election holds for conservation champions in South Carolina.
Q: Can you talk about how CVSC’s political work has evolved for the 2024 elections?
A: In 2024, CVSC invested heavily in local elections. There is a major need for good leadership and accountability at the local level, which we can provide by partnering with local organizations and supporting leaders who are committed to conservation and protecting their communities from harm.
Then we reached out to donors for support, who have enabled us to make critical contributions to support the campaigns of our endorsed candidates.
Q: CVSC puts a lot of time and energy into making sure that conservation candidates win elections. What can voters do to ensure they’re supporting conservation?
A: The political team has done our due diligence to ensure that each of our endorsed candidates is the best candidate in their district when it comes to conservation. So first, I would recommend checking out who we’ve endorsed for the general and primary elections in 2024. All of that information is available here: https://www.cvsc.org/elections/
Next, if the candidate is an incumbent State Representative or Senator, you should check out CVSC’s Legislative Scorecard to see whether they’ve prioritized conservation in the past. If your candidate is running for the first time, dig deep into their values and priorities to see if conservation is on that list.
Another thing worth considering is that straight-party voting is optional. You are encouraged to evaluate all candidates on both sides of the aisle. Conservation leaders come from different parties, so be sure to research all candidates ahead of time to determine who aligns most with your values.
Finally, consider donating to CVSC. Our strategic investments eliminate all of the guesswork for you, ensuring that your hard-earned money is going towards races that are viable and able to move the needle for conservation statewide. We’re in the home stretch of our largest political effort to date and we’re still in need of donations, so I encourage you to contribute what you can here: https://secure.everyaction.com/NJQhKGZTdECZ5xr2KW83Eg2
Q: I’m sure CVSC supporters will be happy to hear that they can make a difference! Now, is it too soon to ask what happens after the elections?
A: No matter what the results of this election are, CVSC will continue to connect voters with their state legislators, build power among our partners to amplify community voices, and hold legislators accountable for votes and actions that impact our environment. We look forward to working with the next class of legislators and local leaders to ensure that conservation is a top priority across South Carolina in the coming years.